In India, there has been a recent spurt in the number of ‘item songs’ generated by Hindi films. These songs or ‘numbers’ are topping the popularity charts owing to the catchy lyrics and most importantly the performance by the top stars themselves. The present research article focuses on how such songs are a downright degradation of the entire womankind and how the patriarchal ideology thus promoted is detrimental to the safety of women in the real world. The obscenity and vulgarity endorsed by such songs often go un-noticed but do impact the psyche of people. Such songs, with the great emphasis that they lay on the physical attributes of, further promote women’s objectification and commodification.  The provocative gestures and the cheap language that the female leads in such songs themselves employ increase the vulnerability of women off-screen and often render them an easy prey to perfidious and lascivious minds.

The research article also discusses role of Censor Board in this context as also that of Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 and to what extent have such legal provisions gone ahead to check the promotion of vulgarity and obscenity that grows unabated.